eat
distance in an open plain, fortifying the camp with an intrenchment
breast-high all round, which was soon executed by means of the great
numbers of Indians who attended to carry the baggage and artillery.
Giron established a battery of cannon on the top of a rising ground so
near the royal camp that the balls were able to reach considerably
beyond the intrenchment: "Yet by the mysterious direction of Providence,
the rebel cannon, having been cast from the consecrated metal of bells
dedicated to the service of God, did no harm to man or beast."

[Footnote 48: Pucara is in the province of Lampa, near the north-western
extremity of the great lake Titicaca.--E.]

After a considerable delay, during which daily skirmishes passed between
the adverse parties, Giron resolved to make a night attack upon the camp
of the royalists, confiding in the prediction of some wise old woman,
that he was to gain the victory at that place. For this purpose he
marched out from his natural fortress at the head of eight hundred foot,
six hundred of whom were musqueteers, and the rest pikemen, with only
about thirty horse. His negro soldiers, who were about two hundred and
fifty in number, joined with about seventy Spaniards, were ordered to
assail the front of the royal camp, while Giron with the main body was
to attack the rear. Fortunately the judges had got notice of this
intended assault from two rebel deserters, so that the whole royal army
was drawn out in order of battle on the plain before the rebels got up
to the attack. The negro detachment arrived at the royal camp sometime
before Giron, and, finding no resistance, they broke in and killed a
great number of the Indian followers, and many horses and mules,
together with five or six Spanish soldiers who had deserted the ranks
and hidden themselves in the camp. On arriving at the camp, Giron fired
a whole volley into the fortifications without receiving any return; but
was astonished when the royal army began to play upon the flank of his
army from an unexpected quarter, with all their musquets and artillery.
Giron, being thus disappointed in his expectations of taking the enemy
by surprise, and finding their whole army drawn up to receive him, lost
heart and retreated back to his strong camp in the best order he could.
But on this occasion, two hundred of his men, who had formerly served
under Alvarado, and had been constrained to enter into his service after
the battle of Chuquinc